Jamaica on Monday, September 28th, welcomed the first group of 43 Ghanaian nurses recruited under a four-year bilateral health agreement designed to strengthen the island’s healthcare workforce.
The nurses arrived at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston as the Government begins implementing an agreement with Ghana that provides for the recruitment and temporary deployment of up to 400 healthcare professionals.
Signed earlier this year, the agreement establishes a framework for the voluntary recruitment of Ghanaian health professionals, particularly nurses and doctors. It also seeks to strengthen cooperation between the two countries while promoting ethical international recruitment practices.
Health and Wellness Minister Christopher Tufton described the arrival of the first cohort as an important step in Jamaica’s efforts to address healthcare staffing needs and strengthen the public health system.
According to the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the initiative forms part of its Vision for Health 2030 plan and Human Resource for Health Stabilization Strategy.
The nurses will be deployed to public hospitals across Jamaica, with most assigned to facilities within the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA) and the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA).
The group includes healthcare professionals with expertise in critical care, pediatrics, operating theatre nursing and midwifery, emergency care, oncology, mental health and psychiatric care.
Other members of the cohort will be deployed to facilities in Jamaica’s remaining health regions as well as the University Hospital of the West Indies.
The partnership extends beyond the recruitment of healthcare workers. Jamaica and Ghana are also expected to deepen cooperation in areas such as primary healthcare reform, national health insurance and the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness said the broader partnership is intended to promote the exchange of knowledge, expertise and resources between the two countries as they work to strengthen their respective healthcare systems.
